Map of Simcoe Muskoka

Tobacco

Youth Smoking Abstinence

Key Messages
Students who have Never Smoked
Smoking Abstinence by Grade
Socioeconomic Status and Smoking Abstinence

Key Messages

  • Most students report never having smoked a cigarette.
  • The proportion of students across Ontario who have never smoked has increased since 2015.
  • Students with higher perceived socioeconomic status were less likely to have ever smoked cigarettes.

Students who have Never Smoked

  • According to the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS), 82% (77.4, 85.7%) of Simcoe Muskoka students report never having smoked a cigarette, similar to the provincial rate.
  • The percent of Ontario students who report never smoking significantly increased, from 81% (79.0%, 82.7%) in 2015 to 86% (85.1%, 87.7%) in 2019.

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Smoking Abstinence by Grade

  • As students progress through school, they become significantly more likely to have ever smoked a cigarette.
  • 98% (96.4%, 98.6%) of Simcoe Muskoka students in Grades 7 & 8 had never smoked a cigarette in 2019. This drops to only 64% (54.5%, 72.9%) of students in Grades 11 & 12 remaining smoke-free.

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Socioeconomic Status and Smoking Abstinence

  • Students with higher perceived socio-economic status were more likely to report never smoking. This is statistically significant in Ontario, but not for Simcoe Muskoka students.

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Further Reading

For more information on smoking in youths, see:

Page Last Modified: September 16, 2020.